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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1656
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| Title: | On the general theory of the origins of retroviruses |
| Authors: | Wayengera, Misaki |
| Keywords: | Retroviruses
Ribonucleic acids (RNA)
HIV
HTLV
Retrovirology |
| Issue Date: | 16-Feb-2010 |
| Publisher: | BioMed Central Ltd. |
| Citation: | Wayengera, M. (2010). On the general theory of the origins of retroviruses. Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling, 7(5):1-13 |
| Series/Report no.: | Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling
7(5) |
| Abstract: | Background: The order retroviridae comprises viruses based on ribonucleic acids (RNA). Some, such as HIV and
HTLV, are human pathogens. Newly emerged human retroviruses have zoonotic origins. As far as has been
established, both repeated infections (themselves possibly responsible for the evolution of viral mutations (Vm)
and host adaptability (Ha)); along with interplay between inhibitors and promoters of cell tropism, are needed to
effect retroviral cross-species transmissions. However, the exact modus operadi of intertwine between these factors
at molecular level remains to be established. Knowledge of such intertwine could lead to a better understanding
of retrovirology and possibly other infectious processes. This study was conducted to derive the mathematical
equation of a general theory of the origins of retroviruses.
Methods and results: On the basis of an arbitrarily non-Euclidian geometrical “thought experiment” involving the
cross-species transmission of simian foamy virus (sfv) from a non-primate species Xy to Homo sapiens (Hs), initially
excluding all social factors, the following was derived. At the port of exit from Xy (where the species barrier, SB, is
defined by the Index of Origin, IO), sfv shedding is (1) enhanced by two transmitting tensors (Tt), (i) virus-specific
immunity (VSI) and (ii) evolutionary defenses such as APOBEC, RNA interference pathways, and (when present)
expedited therapeutics (denoted e2D); and (2) opposed by the five accepting scalars (At): (a) genomic integration
hot spots, gIHS, (b) nuclear envelope transit (NMt) vectors, (c) virus-specific cellular biochemistry, VSCB, (d) virusspecific
cellular receptor repertoire, VSCR, and (e) pH-mediated cell membrane transit, (↓pH CMat). Assuming As and
Tt to be independent variables, IO = Tt/As. The same forces acting in an opposing manner determine SB at the
port of sfv entry (defined here by the Index of Entry, IE = As/Tt). Overall, If sfv encounters no unforeseen effects on
transit between Xy and Hs, then the square root of the combined index of sfv transmissibility (√|RTI|) is
proportional to the product IO* IE (or ~Vm* Ha* ΣTt*ΣAs*Ω), where Ω is the retrovirological constant and Σ is a
function of the ratio Tt/As or As/Tt for sfv transmission from Xy to Hs.
Conclusions: I present a mathematical formalism encapsulating the general theory of the origins of retroviruses. It
summarizes the choreography for the intertwined interplay of factors influencing the probability of retroviral crossspecies
transmission: Vm, Ha, Tt, As, and Ω. |
| URI: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1742-4682-7-5
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1656 |
| ISSN: | 1742-4682 |
| Appears in Collections: | Research Articles (Bio-Medical)
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Files in This Item:
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| wayengera-misaki-chs-res.pdf | | 1157Kb | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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